A. A soft start is used to temporarily reduce motor load and torque during startup. Instead of applying the full voltage available to start the motor when powered on, a soft starter ramps up voltage according to the application.

A soft start reduces mechanical stress on the motor, decreases energy consumption and extends the system’s service life. Additionally, soft starts are useful for conveyors, fans, pumps and any equipment where starting or stopping at full speed might damage the product being moved.